There might not be an Olympics or a truly major international football tournament in 2017, but there is plenty of sporting action to mark in your diary over the upcoming 12 months.
So without further ado, let’s show you what’s on the cards from January all the way to next December.
January
1st – The mark comes into force in Gaelic football.
7th – The BDO World Darts Championships begin in earnest.
14th – The 2017 Africa Cup of Nations kicks off with reigning champions Cote d’Ivoire among the 16 teams vying for a place in the final on February 5th.
15th – Ronnie O’Sullivan will look to defend his crown as snooker’s Masters get underway.
16th- The first tennis Grand Slam of the season starts in Australia and we’ll see if World No 1 Andy Murray can beat reigning champ Novak Djokovic in the curtain raising tournament.
28th – WBA Super Bantamweight champion Carl Frampton’s rematch against Leo Santa Cruz takes place at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas.
February
4th – The 2017 Six Nations kicks off and bonus points are being trialled. Ireland face Scotland in Murrayfield on this day.
4th – The GAA’s National Football Leagues begin.
5th – It’s one of the major dates on the US sporting calendar… Super Bowl LI in Houston, Texas.
11th – Another away match for Ireland in the Six Nations. This time it’s off to Rome to take on Italy.
11th – The National Hurling Leagues begin.
24th - The League of Ireland season restarts with Dundalk aiming for four in a row.
25th – Ireland’s first home match of the Six Nations sees Joe Schmidt’s team welcome France to Dublin.
26th – The EFL Cup final takes place at Wembley.
March
3rd – The European Indoor Athletics Championships begin.
10th – Ireland travel to Cardiff to face Wales in the fourth week of the Six Nations.
14th – The 2017 Cheltenham Festival goes to post.
17th – St Patrick’s Day marks All-Ireland club final day.
17th – Michael Conlan makes his pro boxing debut at Madison Square Gardens.
18th – Ireland will still hope to be in with a chance of a Six Nations title or Grand Slam when they face England in Dublin.
24th – Ireland’s 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign resumes against Wales in Dublin.
26th - Formula 1 returns without retired world champion Nico Rosberg with the Australian Grand Prix.
27th – It’s the IAAF World Cross Country Championships.
28th – Ireland host Iceland in an international soccer friendly.
April
2nd – Major League Baseball restarts anew.
6th – Who will end up with the green jacket? Golf’s 2017 Masters will reveal all.
8th – Horse racing’s Grand National goes to post at Aintree.
15th – The World Snooker Championships run until May 1st at Sheffield’s Crucible.
16th – The Irish Grand National begins.
27th – The 2017 NFL Draft starts as franchises and prospects gather.
May
5th - Giro d'Italia marks the first of cycling’s three grand tours.
5th - Ireland's cricketers take on England in the first of two ODIs at the Brightside Ground in Bristol
7th – Gaelic football’s provincial championships begin in Connacht with the clash of New York and Sligo.
7th - Ireland and England meet again at the crease in a historic fixture at Lord's, the second of two ODIs between the countries, and the first time they will meet in England.
24th – The Europa League final takes place in Solna, Sweden.
27th – The Irish provinces will aim to reach the Guinness Pro 12 final at the Aviva Stadium.
27th – It’s FA Cup final day at Wembley.
28th – Tennis’ second grand slam event of the year begins at Roland Garros with the French Open.
28th – The Formula 1 paddock gets into gear for the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix.
June
3rd – Cardiff plays host to the UEFA Champions League final.
3rd – The British and Irish Lions begin their test series in New Zealand.
4th – Luis Suarez and co visit Dublin as Ireland take on Uruguay in an international friendly.
11th – Ireland host Austria in a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier.
15th – Major season in golf continues with the US Open.
17th – Russia warms up for hosting the 2018 FIFA World Cup by staging the Confederations Cup.
July
1st – The 2017 Tour de France begins in Dusseldorf, Germany.
2nd - It’s Leinster hurling final day.
2nd – Kerry will hope to retain their Munster football title in the final.
3rd – Can Andy Murray win a third Wimbledon? The reigning champion and the top men’s and women’s players descend on SW19.
6th – Portstewart Golf Club hosts the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open.
9th – North and Central America as well as the Caribbean’s leading soccer nations vie for the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
9th – The Connacht Football final takes place.
9th – The Munster hurling final throws in.
16th – Dublin are favourite to win the Leinster football final.
16th – The Ulster football final will complete what is the most competitive of the provincial championships.
20th – The British Open golf takes place at Royal Birkdale.
August
4th – London is the location for the World Athletics Championships with Usain Bolt set to capture much of the attention.
9th – The island of Ireland hosts the Women’s Rugby World Cup. The pool stages take place at University College Dublin.
10th – Quail Hollow stages the final golf Major of the year, the PGA Championship.
19th – Cycling’s grand tours end with the Vuelta a Espana.
26th – The final of the Women’s Rugby World Cup in Belfast.
28th – Tennis’ major season comes to a close with the start of the US Open.
September
2nd – Ireland head to Tbilisi for a 2018 World Cup qualifier against Georgia.
3rd – All roads lead to Croke Park for the All-Ireland hurling final.
5th – Ireland host Serbia in a 2018 World Cup qualifier.
7th – The 2017 NFL season begins.
10th - It's All-Ireland Camogie final day at all levels.
17th – The All-Ireland Football Final at Croke Park. If Mayo get there can they go one better?
24th – All-Ireland Ladies Football final day arrives.
24th – The World Rowing Championships take place and we may well see the O’Donovan brothers.
October
1st – Horse racing’s prestigious Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
6th – Ireland’s second last 2018 World Cup qualifier is against Moldova in Dublin.
9th – Ireland finish the 2018 World Cup qualifiers against Wales in Cardiff.
24th – Baseball’s World Series pitches in.
November
5th – The New York Marathon takes place.
December
1st – The group stage draw for the 2018 FIFA World Cup takes place in Moscow.
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